CHECK YOUR REFLECTION

Last week, while I was on a prayer walk, I came across a bird that was injured and couldn't fly. As an animal lover, I was saddened by the little guy's hopping around and I figured he probably would not survive long. I was bummed to think that the one thing that makes a bird special, the main thing that makes a bird a bird, is its ability to fly. And this little bird just didn't have it anymore. He had basically been reduced to a slow moving, two legged rodent.

A couple of days later, I was thinking about the bird again, and also considering what is it that makes us (mankind) special. What makes us different from anything else in creation? The answer: our capacity, or ability to reflect God's glory. That is something that only we can do. The earth is filled with God's creation. And there are many things that are beautiful. But nothing can reflect God's glory like you and I can. We are the beings that were created in God's image and we have the greatest capacity to reflect God's glory to this hurting world. We are the ones with the ability to make this earth a better place and share God's glory with it, but too often we voluntarily give up our ability "to fly." We let our own agendas, goals, and opinions get in the way. We allow sin to tarnish our surface preventing us from reflecting God's glory. How much more heartbreaking is this, that men and women choose to not reflect the glory of God, which is our greatest ability?

May you spread your wings and soar. May you brightly shine the glory of God to the dark world around you. May you reach your capacity.

happy birthday...

to my good friend and spiritual stimulant - Cliff Neff.

to my sister-in-law and style consultant - Joanna Madison.

Both of you keep up the good work of making me look and sound better.

SHUT UP!

Now please don't get too upset with me for this title. I mean to challenge you to sit quite before the LORD. Today I went on a prayer walk and decided that I'd listen to God (without me saying a word) for an hour. And I noticed somethings.

First of all, we are surrounded by a lot of noise. I was in this beautiful, serene place and there was still a great deal of noise. There was the sound of traffic, birds chirping, sprinklers, and planes coming in on final approach. I didn't here any people, but there was still plenty of noise. I noticed that it was VERY difficult to block it all out and focus on God.

Second, it felt very awkward to end my silence. After being quiet before God for an hour, nothing seemed appropriate or important enough to break that silence. Even in the car on my drive home, listening to Deliriuos?, I didn't feel right using my voice to sing along with the iPod. Once I got silent, I mean really silent in my soul, I wanted to stay there.

Third, the silence brought peace. When I didn't allow myself to share my thoughts with God or to put in my requests, I started to experience this peaceful sensation within my soul.

So I challenge you, stay quiet before the God for an hour. See what happens.

YOUR JOY IS IN YOUR WORK

Of course, many people dread they're jobs. A lot of us don't like our work and wish we could just be independently wealthy and not have to work. But the truth is, we were designed to work. From the day we were created we were intended to be productive. Gen. 2:15 "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."

I believe it is important for us to remember that our value is determined by our being. That is, we are valuable, because we are God's most prized creation, created in His image, and purchased but the blood of Jesus. But our joy and satisfaction come from accomplishing good things. These things could be as simple as emptying the dishwasher to as complex as walking someone through the truths of scripture. We are called to "do" things, not only to "be" holy, children of God.

So get to work!